JugglingOgre
X-TRAIL NEWBIE
Date Registered: 02-2009
Location: Hamilton, VIC
TOTAL POSTS: 77
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Riddell's Creek Trails
It all started when I took the MTB for a burn in the hills above my parents property in Riddell's Creek. There are a heap of trails and I thought I would take my baby for a spin the next day. Well I did and it was a mountain of fun.
First thing I did was check out a big puddle which didn't look too bad and the tracks weren't too deep...initially. Sooooo to cut the chatter short, I started in. Of course being a stock T-31 on stock tyres, as soon as I hit the clay she slid in and sunk to the hubs
Ohhhh Bugger!!! Of course I have no recovery gear and of course I was on my own. I try turning the wheel to get traction, rocking back and forth etc but she's stuck. A few expletives later I attempt to get out....the door wouldn't fully open I had sunk that far so I clambered out and luckily the door sills are relatively high.
I decided I had to get myself out so I broke up branches and wedged them under the wheels. I was going to try and go forward but she was not budging. I think the rear bumper was acting as a mud scoop. I managed to start rocking again and the front wheels grabbed on some of the wood and I was able to scamble out backwards! Phew!
Pic 1 is the puddle AFTER I got out....I didn't even think about taking a pic of my girl up to her waist in mud....as strangely appealing as that sounds
Heart thumping and all appears ok so I go around the puddle and continue on the trail. Up a narrow winding climbing trail in lock mode it was still a tad fast (would I love a crawling set of gears!) I crest the top of the trail and swerve off. Ahead of me is a very large and frightening bit of erosion as shown in Pic 2. It could have swallowed the Xy and done some serious damage.
I get around by moving some dead wood out the way and squeezing through and do some more climbing and stop at the top of a quite steep and slippery slope. Initially I think that my girl can't do it so I start walking down to make sure. About half way down I'm sure she CAN do it. And then I get to the bottom....
Pic 3 is looking up at the X from the bottom of the slope....
At the bottom is of course more mud but this time I can SEE the depth of the rutts and know that they are too deep for my girl. The was no way I was getting bogged again!
Pic 4 is the rutts at the bottom...
So up I clamber again to my baby....and scratch my head and try and work out just how the hell do I get back? There's a lip on both sides of the trail that WILL do damage if I try and turn and there are trees in the spots that are not as lippy. I start to reverse back down the slope that was hard to get up going forwards. Eventually I find a spot that has a track leading up a very steep part with a lip that I didn't think I could get up but the best bit was I could do a "lotsa-points-turn" to get myself facing the direction I was trying to travel.
Pic 5 is the lip of the track leading up. It doesn't look much in the pic but it's a couple of inches higher that the hubs of the X.
At this stage my heart muscle is getting a bit weak so I'm thinking I need to get out so I navigate around the erosion and back down the trail (it's harder going down) with hill descent pumping the brakes and all together feeling quite wierd. I tried going another direction when I get to the trail that led to my first bogging and guess what....I found another mud pit. My heart muscle is showing real signs of failing at this point so I just turn around and go around my first mud puddle and get out.
I had a ball but certainly need to get myself at least a winch if I'm going to have more of this kind of fun.
I had to appologise to my sister too as I left whopping great big clods of stinking clay and mud on her driveway
--- Pete & Jo
Hamilton VIC
X-1147(c)
2009 T31 TS Manual, Platinum, Windows Tint, Blue Tooth, Tow Bar, Roof Bars, Cargo Barrier, Floor Mats, Dual Battery, Bash Plates.
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23/Dec/2009, 12:30 pm
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craig90
X-TRAIL NEWBIE
Date Registered: 12-2009
Location: Brisbane
TOTAL POSTS: 90
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Re: Riddell's Creek Trails
What a Hoot !!
--- X-1467 08 T31 TL Auto Platinum: Tinted Bonnet Protector, Tinted Windows, Fitted Seat Covers F&R, Rubber mats, Phone kit, Luggage Carpet, Weather Shields, Dash Mat, Tow bar, K&N filter, Twin screen DVD Player (the new Kingswood)
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23/Dec/2009, 5:20 pm
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johnsey
X-TRAIL FANATIC
Date Registered: 01-2007
Location: Melbourne, Wantirna
TOTAL POSTS: 435
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Re: Riddell's Creek Trails
Hi Pete,
Sounds like you had a bit of fun similar to our club trips, the softroaders will stick to these types of scenarios which are not too deep. You certainly did the wise thing staying away from that large washdout hole. As with most of us who venture offroad an increase in ride height will make a difference.
--- Xcited Touring
Series 2 2005 ST Auto, nudge bar, driving lights, spoiler, GME 3100 UHF, towbar , bashplate, Yokohama Geolander AT-S and Kings Springs lift X495 (c)
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23/Dec/2009, 7:05 pm
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jalalski
Date Registered: 02-2004
Location: SUTHERLAND, SYDNEY
TOTAL POSTS: 29100
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Re: Riddell's Creek Trails
quote: johnsey wrote:
As with most of us who venture offroad an increase in ride height will make a difference.
And a second car will make it a lot safer too
Nice report Pete.
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23/Dec/2009, 8:21 pm
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